ELI5- What’s the meaning of “The end justifies the means”?

Question

ELI5- What’s the meaning of “The end justifies the means”?

In: Other

Answer 1

It means that as long as you get a good result, you can bad things to get there. The good result justifies the bad things to get that good result.

Let’s say you want to pass the test. That is the end you want. You might choose to cheat. If you get away with it, you will pass the test. Cheating thus is not a bad thing anymore because it worked. Cheating isn’t bad because the result was good. You passing the exam justified you cheating; the ends justified the means.